Mouthpiece for clarinets



J. A. REDFIELD. MOUTHFIECE FOR CLARINETS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-21, 1920.

1,375,467. Patented Apr. 19, 1921.

filyz INVENTOR.

LQ/QLW- PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN A. REDFIELD, OF HOUSTON, TEXAS.

MOUTHPIECE FOR GLARINETS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 19, 1921.

Application filed August 21, 1920. Serial No. 405,142.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN A. Rnnrmnn, acitizen of theUnited States residing at Houston, in the county of Harrisand State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Improvement inMouthpieces for Clarinets, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements 1n the clarinet mouthpiece; and theob ects of my improvement are, first, to secure a better tone for theclarinet; second, to render the clarinet more easily blown; and, third,to make possible greater variations of loudness and softness in tone.

I attain these objects in a mouthpiece illustrated in the accompanyingdrawlng 1n which- Figure 1 is a view'of the bottom of the mouthpiece;

Fig. 2 is a view of the-side of the mouthpiece;

Fig. 3 is a View of the top of the mouthpiece;

Fig. 4 is a view of the front end of the mouthpiece Fig. 5 is a view ofthe rear end of the mouthpiece.

The dotted straight lines in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 show the air chamberwithin the mouthpiece to be of cylindrical form. Figs. 4 and 5 also showthe cylindrical character of the air chamber. The ellipses of Figs 1 and3 show the intersection of the cylindrical air chamber with the tableupon which the reed rests. This table, except for a slight curvature atthe tip of the mouthpiece constituting the lay of the mouthpiece is aplane.

' The clarinet, theoretically, is a cylindrical column of air set inmotion by a single beating reed, c. e. a reed that alternately closesand opens the orifice between the reed and the air column. Othermouthpieces, instead of preserving the cylindrical character of the aircolumn throughout the length of the mouthpiece, reduce the area of thecrosssection of the air column and allow the cross-section to assumeother shapes than the circle. In consequence the free passage of the airinside the mouthpiece toward and from the reed is interfered with andhindered. My mouthpiece, being cylindrical and of the same caliber asthat part of the clarinet to which it joins, permits the freest possiblepassage of the air within the mouthpiece to and from the reed. As aresult three improvements are secured: (a) the tone of the instrument isbigger,.fuller, rounder and mellower, and conforms more closely to thosetones considered characteristic and peculiar to the clarinet; (b) theinstrument blows more easily; and, (c) it is possible to secure greatervariations of loudness and softness in tone.

Having thus described my invention and its advantages, I claim:

1. A clarinet mouthpiece having a cylindrical bore the upper base of themouthpiece being a plane oblique to the axis of the bore which upperbase serves as a table for the reed to rest upon.

2. A clarinet mouthpiece having a bore approximately cylindrical theupper base of the mouthpiece being a plane oblique to the axis of thebore which upper base serves as a table for the reed to rest upon.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses this eighteenth day of August 1920. I

j JOHN A. REDFIELD.

Witnesses:

KENNETH WAHL, W. R. LAMOREUX.

